FORWARD: This kind of CULTURALlandscaping is unlikely to be achievable in Launceston given that the city's current MANAGER OF DEVELOPMENT holds fast to the belief that, quote, "cultural landscaping is a noun not a doing word". Thus a 'development' such as this would be received with distain and the developer most likely would seek another 'place' to realise their vision.
The status quo is evidence of this bureaucratic imperative at work. Moreover, the city has land under its aegis that could/SHOULD be utilised for such a purpose and thus go some way towards alleviating some of the city's housing pressures.
However, given that by extension Councillors and most likely Executive Management – and other politicians and bureaucrats as well – have skin in the game by way of investment in the 'property market', hell might freeze over before they will countenance the community investing in itself and disrupting their investment strategies.
Then there are those decision makers who advocate that there is a RIGHT time for everything and who go on to say that NOW is neither the RIGHT or a GOOD time for this or that. However, NOW we must do nothing because it is neither the RIGHT or GOOD time, thus NOTHING right now is all good because nothing is required of us right now.
SO, Devonport's Enrich Ventures looks like a DEVELOPMENTabomination that needs to be bureaucratically circumvented in order to protect the status quo. Whatever it is that people suffering HOUSINGstress need to do, this 'development' is a signal that the status quo is as USA's President Ronald Reagan said ... "simply Latin for the mess we are in".
SO, pick up your pitch forks and axes and attack the status quo remembering that its defenders have nothing of substance in their arsenal except bluff!
If as Gandhi said when a law is unjust change it! Here, if an administration is demonstrably unjust change it! That might mean changing personnel or it might equally mean changing the personnel's mindsets. Whatever, be a CHANGEagent NOW!
Some home quotes to be going on with ... “Home is a shelter from storms, all sorts of storms.” ... “No matter who you are or where you are, instinct tells you to go home.” ...“Peace, like charity, begins at home.” ... “Home is any four walls that enclose the right person.”
FROM THE MERCURY: ... More than six years after it was first proposed, and despite projected cost blowouts, construction for the ambitious plan to turn the Devonport Showgrounds into a “village inside a city” is expected to start in 2025.
Developer Simon Want, who is the founder of Enrich Ventures, bought the 10ha piece of land from the Devonport Pastoral and Agricultural Society in 2019 for an undisclosed amount, with the sale finalised in 2022.
The site previously hosted the Devonport Show until it was axed in 2017, as well as greyhound and harness racing meets.
There is currently no racetrack in the region after plans to build a facility at Wesley Vale near the Devonport airport were scrapped due to cost blowouts.
The first development application for the project at the showground is before the Devonport City Council.
The site has been home to the Devonport Farmers Market for around two years, which Mr Want said he had been using as an opportunity for community engagement.
“We’ve been jokingly saying that we’re building the community before we’re building the community,” he said.
“It sounds a bit silly for a developer to run a farmers market, but for us, it’s been wonderful because it’s actually allowed us to meet the real North-West and the real Devonport.
“The families and individuals that come to the market, and those that seem to be expressing interest in the project, want to get involved not just in the homes but in the community activities that are going to be there.”
Mr Want said he believed the project would help alleviate the housing issues in the region.
“Demand for homes in the region is still really high here.
“We haven’t really had abatement in prices, rental costs or demand for specialist housing like aged care, NDIS or anything like that.
“We’re still having very high engagement with the community and specialist groups that want to bring housing to the site.
“We’ve still got a long line of people that are waiting, very patiently, for us to deliver homes on the site.”
While he did not provide an exact amount, Mr Want said he expected the number of homes on site to be in the hundreds.
The development is also expected to include parks, childcare services, a health precinct, offices, retail, community spaces and an “urban farm”.
When first conceived in 2019, the project was projected to cost around $75 million.
Melbourne developer’s $75M housing proposal takes shape
“Prices have obviously escalated a lot on the cost side, and we haven’t done a recalculation of it,” Mr Want said.
“It will be well in excess of $100 to $150 million; it could be even higher than that.”
simon.mcguire@news.com.au
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